Explosive Video
US Army Soldier: “It’s like mass genocide on us, you know. Our country has
become terrorist. That’s why people hate us.” by Kim Petersen
www.dissidentvoice.org
May 22, 2006

Correction:
(May 23) The focal point of this article was a video interview of one
Jessie MacBeth, who claims to be have been a US Army Ranger that recently
finished a tour of duty in occupied Iraq. In the video interview,
co-produced by Peacefilms in Vancouver and Pepperspray Productions in
Seattle and posted on the Peacefilms website, Mr. MacBeth, who is
presented as a spokesperson for Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW),
makes specific claims about atrocities committed against Iraqis by US
forces. Earlier today, IVAW issued the following statement:

Iraq Veterans Against the War recently
learned of a video interview with Jesse MacBeth that directs viewers to
IVAW’s website and phone number. IVAW was not made aware of the creation
of this video program and our input on it was never sought by its
producers. Jesse MacBeth is not a spokesperson for IVAW and any claims
made by MacBeth about his service have not been verified. We are currently
investigating these claims and will have a full statement pending its
resolution.

Many readers and commentators have raised
numerous questions about the veracity of Mr. MacBeth's claims of service
in the US Army, questions that, in my judgment, have thus far not received
satisfying answers. In the absence of more credible evidence to
substantiate Mr. MacBeth's claims of having served in Iraq and/or having
been enlisted in the US Army, we have decided to remove this article. We
also request that other websites/publications that posted the original
article do the responsible thing and post this correction.

We sincerely regret any errors of fact that
may have been made in giving credence to Mr. MacBeth's testimony. We will
exercise greater diligence and scrutiny in the future if and when similar
circumstances arise.

We also wish to emphasize that abundant
evidence of atrocities against innocent Iraqis carried out by US forces in
the course of America's illegal invasion and ongoing occupation of Iraq --
the Abu Ghraib torture scandal, the use of chemical weapons in Fallujah,
the killing of journalists, and many other incidents documented by both
alternative and mainstream media -- already exists, regardless of Mr. MacBeth's claims, and cannot be swept under the rug if it indeed turns out
Mr. MacBeth has provided a false account. American imperialism and the
criminal conduct of US leaders -- both Democrat and Republican -- is
exacting a terrible toll on the Iraqi people, the possibilities for peace
tomorrow, and the economy here at home. Outside of a parasitic minority of
the rich and privileged, we are all losers in this dreadful war.